Seibu Railway, a major Japanese railway company, has developed a simultaneous interpretation system for tourists.
The new product is a transparent screen, with the translation of the railway employee's and tourist's speech projected on both sides. Questions and answers are instantly understood by both parties, even though they speak different languages.
Testing of the first such terminal will begin on July 10. It will be installed in Tokyo's Shinjuku district. During this "trial" period, 12 languages are planned to be used, including English.
A representative of the developer company emphasizes the importance of a transparent screen. Observing the expressions on tourists' faces will give an idea of how satisfied visitors to Japan are with the service on the railway. The main goal is to become the number one carrier for foreigners. It seems that the race for passengers has already been won.
Full-scale implementation of the new system across all lines of the railway company is planned for fall 2023.
